Electronic components are capable of generating undesirable levels of heat during operation. For example, microprocessors in computer systems can generate enough heat that they can either slow down or cease to function if heat is not removed. Moreover, higher transistor counts on smaller die areas and increasing frequencies of operation clocks have further increased the heat produced by microprocessors. Maintaining actual junction temperatures within a reliable junction value is critical to support higher frequencies and to secure the normal functioning of the electronic components. Thus, dissipation of the heat produced by such electronic components is important to stabilize their operation and extend their operational life.
Existing heat removal devices, such as a fan, employ forced convention. Some electronic systems use one large fan to cool all of the heat-producing components within a system. Other electronic systems have individual fans for each heat-producing element. However, fans often generate unacceptable levels of noise and require separate power sources. Moreover, because fans utilize moving parts, they are susceptible to mechanical failure.
Other heat removing devices employ natural convention in which heat produced by electronic components is dissipated by a heat sink. Prior art heat sinks include heat dissipation fins attached to a base plate. The base plate is meant to spread out the heat produced by the heat-producing element to all the fins. FIG. 1A illustrates a prior art heat sink that includes many thin plates and pins disposed on a base plate. These heat sinks are constructed of materials having high thermal conductivity such as aluminum and copper. Heat produced by the heat-producing element is conducted to the heat dissipation fins via the thermally conductive base section or base plate. The heat is then transferred over the surface of the heat dissipation fins and dissipated into the air blown by a cooling fan.
In order to improve the performance of the cooling device, heat is most desirably distributed evenly throughout the base plate, and dissipated through all of the heat dissipation fins. However, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, heat emitted from the heat-producing element tends to be conducted predominantly to the heat dissipation fins disposed right above the heat-producing element, and the amount of heat conducted to the peripheral heat dissipation fins is relatively small. Because the heat-producing element is much smaller than the base plate, the contact area between them is also very limited. Consequently, the fins as a whole dissipate heat very inefficiently. Moreover, the heat sink is very large relative to the heat source, placing undesirable constraints on the design of a product with high heat generation density.
Thus, to help ensure the continuing safe performance of heat generating electronic components, it is desirable to remove heat from such components in a quiet, efficient and reliable manner. Particularly, what is needed is a heat sink having a highly conductive base plate that maximizes heat dissipation along the entire length and width of the base plate and fins. The thermal properties of such a base plate would enable cooling of components with extremely high heat flux.